Beverage Startups
The Lab – An Inventive, Inclusive & Interactive Taproom
The Lab, an interactive taproom created by BevSource, is offering a whole new experience to startups and consumers. The taproom is giving consumers a chance to help shape the future trends of beverages when to startups The Lab creates a perfect place to explore the boundaries of the latest ingredients. Today, I am extremely happy to speak with Janet Johanson, General Manager at The Lab.
1. How did you come up with the idea of The Lab?
Our beverage clients have a need to do pilot production runs and there are not good solutions in the United States. Along with pilot runs, we also have a full QA laboratory where we can do beverage/beer analytics and microbiology testing.
2. The whole concept of The Lab seems really fun for consumers and crucial for the startups. In your opinion, what are the main benefits the taproom brings for both sides?
It really brings makers and tasters together. Tasters can taste the next beverage recipe and give feedback to the makers. Makers can see the feedback and perfect their formula, start to develop the branding/marketing strategy, and finalize their product labeling.
3. The Lab is planning to launch the Untappd app later this year. What features the app will bring to consumers?
Tasters can currently go on to the Untappd app and rate our beverages. Makers get to see feedback here and also receive sales data from us. We plan to launch our own app later this year, where we can then reveal (with the maker’s permission) the beverage that the taster originally helped develop.
4. Creating a perfect beverage recipe is a long and expensive process. How The Lab’s pilot 7-barrel brewing system will help startups? Who can use this service?
Small and large companies can use our brewing system. It is a 4-vessel system that mimics (on a smaller scale) a brewhouse at the world’s largest breweries. Clients can then quickly scale the recipe for larger productions. Most importantly, many companies only have larger equipment or their small pilot system is tied up with other projects like vetting new suppliers. Our pilot system allows them to come in and try a new method or a new ingredient and develop the next beverage category – and if the recipe turns out to their liking, they can then put it on tap and get REAL & anonymous customer feedback.
5. The Lab is located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Are you planning to open a second taproom in another state in the future?
Yes, we want to perfect the model here in the Twin Cities and then expand to other cities. When we do so, then makers can choose their location and get feedback and decide to launch their product in the location that gives them the best customer feedback.
6. What is The Lab’s biggest milestone in 2019?
So far it has been opening our doors to the public on May 1st, 2019.
For more information visit The Lab website.
